Mock Trial of Rizal

Preliminary Investigation
November 20, 1896- Rizal appeared to Colonel Francisco Olive. Rizal was questioned by Col. Olive but
he was not permitted to confront witnesses who testified against him.

Two kinds of evidence presented against Rizal: Documentary and Testimonial Evidences.
Documentary Evidences:
1. A letter from Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce dated Oct. 16, 1888, Madrid.
2. A letter of Rizal to his family dated Aug. 20, 1890, Madrid.
3. A letter from M.H. Del Pilar to Deodato Arellano dated Jan 7, 1889, Madrid
4. A poem entitled Kundiman allegedly written by Rizal.

Kundiman
Tunay ngayong umid yaring dila't puso
Sinta'y umiilag, tuwa'y lumalayo,
Bayan palibhasa'y lupig at sumuko
Sa kapabayaan ng nagturong puno.
Datapuwa't muling sisikat ang araw,
Pilit maliligtas ang inaping bayan,
Magbabalik mandin at muling iiral
Ang ngalang Tagalog sa sandaigdigan.
Ibubuhos namin ang dugo't babaha
Matubos nga lamang ang sa amang lupa
Habang di ninilang panahong tadhana,
Sinta'y tatahimik, iidlip ang nasa.

Documentary Evidences:
1. A letter of Carlos Oliver to an unidentified person, Sept. 18, 1891.
2. A Masonic document dated Feb. 9, 1892. 7.
3. A letter signed Dimasalang to Ten Luz (Juan Zulueta) dated May 24, 1892, H.K.
4. A letter signed Dimasalang to unidentified committee dated June 1, 1892, Hong Kong.
5. An anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of the Hong Kong Telegraph.
6. A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Sept. 3, 1892.
7. A letter of Rizal Segundo, dated Sept. 17, 1893.
8. A letter to M.H. Del Pilar to Juan A. Tenluz
9. A transcript of the speech of Pinkian (Emilio Jacinto) in a meeting of the Katipunan on July 23,
1893.
10. Transcript of a speech Tik-Tol (Jose Turiano Santiago) during the same Katipunan meeting.
11. A poem by Laon Laan (Rizal) entitled A Talisay.

Testimonial Evidences:
1. Martin Constantino
2. Aguedo del Rosario
3. Jose Reyes
4. Moises Salvador
5. Jose Dizon
6. Pio Valenzuela
7. Ambrosio Savador
8. Francisco Quison
 9. Timoteo Paez
10. Deodato Arellano
11. Pedro Serrano Laktaw
12. Antonio Salazar
13. Domingo Franco

Colonel Olive- Endorsed the evidences to Governor Ramon Blanco

Captain Rafael Domingez- Ramon Blanco designated him as the Judge Advocate assigned with the task
of deciding what corresponding action should be done.
Don Nicolas de la Pea- Dominguez, after a brief review, transmitted the records to the Judge Advocate
General, for an opinion.

Peas Recommendations:
1. Rizal must be immediately sent to trial
2. He must be held in prison under necessary security
3. His properties must be issued with order of attachment, and as indemnity, Rizal had to pay one
million pesos
4. Instead of a civilian lawyer, only an army officer is allowed to defend Rizal.

Rizals Defender
Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade- 1st Lieutenant of the Artillery. He is the brother of Jose Taviel de Andrade,
Rizals personal bodyguard in Calamba in 1887.

Rizals Arraignment
December 11, 1896- Rizal was charged with the crime of rebellion, and the formation of illegal
associations.

Rizal replied that:

1. He does not question the jurisdiction of the court
2. He has nothing to amend except that during his exile in Dapitan in 1892, he had not dealt in
political matters;
3. He has nothing to admit on the charges against him
4. He had nothing to admit on the declarations of the witnesses; he had not met nor knew, against
him.

December 13, 1896- while in detention Rizal released a manifesto that he denounces the revolution and
condemned Katipunan for using his name without his permission.

Actual Trial
The actual trial was held at Hall of Banners of the Cuartel de Espaa on December 26, 1896.
He was accused of 3 crimes: rebellion, sedition, illegal associations.
Penalty: Life imprisonment-death for rebellion and sedition, correctional imprisonment and a fine
of 325 to 3250 pesetas for illegal association.

Defense of Rizal
As testified by Pio Valenzuela, Rizal was against rebellion
He had not written a letter addressed to the Katipunan comprising revolutionary elements
Without his knowledge, his name was used by the Katipunan; if he really was guilty, he could
have escaped while he was in Singapore
 If he was guilty, he should have left the country while in exile; he shouldn't have built a home,
bought a parcel of land or established a hospital in Dapitan.
If he was really the leader of the revolution, the revolutionists should have consulted him.
He did not deny that he wrote the by-laws of the La Liga Filipina, but to make things clear, the
organization was a civic association, not a revolutionary society.
After the first meeting of La Liga, the association banished because of his exile in Dapitan, thus,
did not last long.
If the La Liga was reorganized nine months later, he had no idea about it
If the La Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then Katipunan should not have been organized.
If the Spanish authorities found his letters having bitter atmosphere, it was because in 1890 his
family was being persecuted resulting to their dispossession of properties and deportation of all
his brothers- in-law.
He lived an exemplary life in Dapitan the politico-military commanders and missionary priests
in the province could attest to that.
If according to witnesses the speech he delivered at Doroteo Ongjunco's house had inspired the
revolution, then he want to confront these persons. If he really was for the revolution, then why
did the Katipunan sent an unfamiliar emissary to him in Dapitan? It is so because all his friends
were aware that he never advocated violence.

Two days after, Rizal's case was endorsed to Blanco's successor, Governor Camilo de Polavieja, who had
the authority to command that the case be court martialed.
December 15- inside his cell at Fort Santiago, Rizal wrote the controversial Manifesto addressed to his
countrymen a letter denouncing bloody struggle, and promoting education and industry as the best
means to acquire independence.
Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Pea- requested to Gov. Polavieja that the publication of the
manifesto be prohibited, and so, the governor did.
December 28, 1896- Polavieja approved the decision of the court-martial and ordered Rizal to be shot at
7:00 oclock in the morning of December 30 at Bagumbayan Field.